Bitter Sweet
by Shufuku
Summary: Anna meets her biological father...or is it the other way around?


—_Bitter Sweet—_

_He had a massive headache. Today had been far too long. He just wanted to get a cup of coffee and make his way home, nothing else…_

* * *

He hesitated. For a long while...

His focus was disrupted by the young woman sitting in the corner of the coffee shop. All of his previous plans he had organized and prepared for that evening were suddenly the furthest thing from his mind. His feet began walking towards her without him thinking and his hands clenched in apprehension. He swallowed hard, but continued his hesitant march towards her. Her eyes suddenly met his and he froze a few meters from her table. She had been gazing out the window with her chin resting in her hand admiring the busy New York City traffic. It must have been a spectacle to her, considering where she was from. She was a long way from home.

He knew this very well, because he knew her…or he thought he did.

Did he?

Her eyes were intense yet beautiful and unwavering. It was a look that he had etched into his memory, and it was the reason why he was compelled to approach her in the first place. That look was so familiar to him, almost unmistakable, but it had been so long since he had seen it, like a nightmare one would have in their adolescence, and could still recall as they got older. Was she truly the person he thought she was? Maybe age was getting to him. He was almost sixty as it was…just a fleeting memory perhaps.

No.

He just had to make sure, no matter how awkward the encounter might become, if he was mistaken, he just had to be sure…just a few questions, and he'll resume his routine, nothing over-the-top, no prying or anything like that. She was already staring at him anyway. He had to do something besides stare back.

_Get a hold of yourself, man._

He cleared his throat and proceeded to her table.

Although, her assertive demeanor would have made others walk on by, ignoring her, he managed to ease his way past a few tables and stood next to the chair sitting at hers. All the while, she said nothing. By now, a normal person would have shot off a million questions. Why was this middle age man trying to swindle his way into sitting with a young woman without even speaking to her? She had to be in her early to mid-twenties, so trying to hit on her was out of the question. It was rather creepy, but surprisingly, the woman continued to stare back at him as he awkwardly tried to sum up his thoughts.

He decided that hesitation was no longer an option and started without pause, "May I ask your name, miss?"

The woman tilted her head slightly in confusion and slowly parted her lips, "You should know the name of your daughter, shouldn't you…father?"

His eyes widened.

"A-Anna—!"

She sat back in her seat and sighed, still not looking away from him, "I was kind of wondering of how long you were going to be standing there next to the coffee counter. The cashier gave you a few odd glances, but you didn't even notice her. A bit rude, don't you think?"

Her shrewdness was throwing him completely off kilter. He wasn't sure what he was expecting from the girl, but it sure wasn't this.

"You knew who I was?" asked completely flabbergasted.

She sighed again, "I never forget a face…especially the face of the man who abandoned me in Japan. You remember that, don't you?"

The weight of her words was practically crushing. She stated it so plainly. His breath caught in his throat and a knot formed in his stomach. The regret of leaving his only child never left, not even for a second. The moment he turned his back to her at that train station, guilt overwhelmed him, but he never looked back.

She suddenly looked concerned, "You look sick, rightfully so I suppose; take a seat." She gestured to the chair in front of her. He obliged in pitiful silence. He was greeted by a cup of water she passed to him and motioned him to drink it, which he did.

He didn't know what to say…at all. Meeting her like this, after so long. What was he supposed to say? Sorry?

Of course not…

That wouldn't begin to describe how much pain he felt for doing what he did. But, he couldn't even begin to imagine the amount of pain she had to endure on her own, at such a young age, it must've been Hell on earth.

But here she was, in a coffee shop in New York City, sipping on…what was that, tea? Yes, it was tea, watching the day go by from her vantage point as if not having a care in the world. It was like a fairy-tale moment had jumped off the pages and landed into his life. He was meeting his long-lost daughter for the first time after so long.

How was this even possible?

"So, how are things?" she asked him, suddenly losing the sharpness from her tone. Her eyes were suddenly sympathetic. He could hardly process what was going on. Was this really the young girl he abandoned?

"I-" he found it difficult to find words. How was he…really? Good wasn't it. She would get pissed off if he said something like that. In all honesty the entirety of his life, he had felt numb. So, he revolved the question back to her.

"How have YOU been doing, Anna?"

She sat back in her chair and crossed her legs, all the while, he just stared back at her in total disbelief. She had grown up to be such a beautiful young woman, flowing blond hair, sharp almond eyes, slender frame, and such a superior disposition that it baffled him as to where she had got it from. Whatever had happened to her in Japan, it changed her for the better, much better than he could have ever done for her.

"Well, for starters, I don't read minds anymore. I learned to control that power a long time ago."

He shrunk back into his seat, turning his gaze out the window.

All doubt vanished. Yes, this was indeed his long-lost daughter.

The fact that she could peer into the minds of others was the main reason why he left her in the first place. It was such an abnormality, that his limited capacity to handle her gift left him frightened, unsure, scared of her. So, he left her.

_Left her…_

Dear God, what possessed him to do that?

He shook his head involuntarily in shame.

His growing anguish must've been apparent. She leaned over to him and touched his hand. The sudden gesture shocked him.

"W-what are you…"

"Listen," her grip tightened. "Don't beat yourself up over this. As bad as you think this all seems, I should be thanking you." She smiled softly at him, "Human nature is to be afraid of new things, things they can't understand. That's why I don't blame you. It was selfish of me to think you would do otherwise. What you did was a blessing in disguise. I wouldn't have become the person I am now if not for you."

His bottom lip trembled, "Anna, I…no, I should have…stayed there. I should have taken…responsibility. I just didn't understand…"

"I forgive you, you know?"

He could hardly see her through his tearful eyes, "What did you say to me?"

"I can't hold a grudge very long. I forgave you a long time ago."

Those words were all that he needed to hear to slump his shoulders and sob into his arms.

He was forgiven. He was sure that he would have to take the sin to his grave, unable to repent to her for his heinous crimes, but the opportunity found him instead. This moment, he couldn't have planned ever in his entire life. It was too good to be true. It had to be.

He could feel her hand rubbing his back sympathetically, trying to comfort him, and avert prying eyes away from their table, the obvious question arising, why was the middle-aged man crying in front of that young girl?

She spoke again, trying to get his attention, and also to stop him from crying so loudly. By now, the whole café could hear him, "That's actually one of the reasons why I tried my hand at coming to New York. I wanted to see you and at least tell you this much."

He lifted his head and rubbed his now red eyes, confused, "...You-you knew I was here?"

She shrugged, "Of course I did. I told you, I never forget a face. And even if i was young, i still knew your name. All I did was look you up, Charles Alexander, and your face was the first that popped up." She gestured in quotation, "'_The Famous Charles Alexander, Brain Surgeon Extraordinaire_'. In all honesty, I was actually impressed that you were doing so well for yourself."

He shook his head in complete disagreement, "No, I…I just drowned myself in my work. There's nothing extraordinary about it."

"Stop that," her sharpness returned making him flinch slightly. His eyes met hers. "I don't like it when people belittle themselves. If one's wealth is just defined by how they feel about their own being, very few people would be good. You've saved a lot of lives which is good enough for me and a lot of others. Simply rest in knowing that, won't you?"

He couldn't believe what he was hearing, such vigor, such character, every word she spoke had power and meaning behind it.

"You've become so strong."

She smiled again, "Well, that is who I am now."

Anna Alexander, the young girl back in Izumo was nowhere to be found. All that sat before him was a confident, courageous, and independent young woman, and it was all by her own power. He could tell. She pulled herself through the obvious hardships that had lain before her. Through thick and thin, times where she could have given up so early on, but she didn't, wouldn't, refused to. Deep down, he wished he could have stayed by her side, said to himself, he would overcome like she did and raise her like a good father, but it was too late for regrets. What's done is done. And he was simply happy that she turned out so well, so refined. That's all he could ask for now. So many questions ran through his mind, but he knew it was beyond him to ask. For a few fleeting moments, he wanted to be her father again, but that was too far gone. She had constructed a life of her own without his help, guidance, what little he could have offered her. She simply came to him to clear the air. And he could respect her tremendously for that.

"Thank you," he said. "Thank you for finding me and telling me. I needed it."

Her smile continued to uplift him, "You're welcome."

Their conversation was cut short by another voice chiming in not too far away from their table. He turned to see a young man he had never seen before. He had long black hair, a young, almost childish look to his face, dark eyes, and a whimpering baby in his hands.

"Anna, Hana won't stop- oh, I didn't know you were talking to someone."

She shook her head and rose form her seat, "It's no problem, Yoh. We were just finishing up." She turned to face her father who agreed with her.

"Yes, she uh, she just sat down with me to have a nice chat. Thanks again."

She nodded and walked past the both of them without another word, leaving the young man confused about who to acknowledge first. He quickly turned to the man still sitting at the table and bowed slightly, "Sorry about my wife. It was nice meeting you sir." Then, he quickly followed after her, leaving the man to his thoughts. He could do nothing but chuckle as he watched the couple make their way out of the shop and into the crowd of people that littered the street.

He sat back in his seat and almost burst into laughter. He had never been so overwhelmed with joy in his entire life.

_His headache was gone…_

* * *

_A/N: **i always wondered about Anna's past. the manga never specifies how old she was when she was abandoned, or who her real parents were. realistically, i was content in not knowing. Kino, Yohmei, and the Asakura family as a whole were all the family she needed. so this was just my take on what it would be like if she ever caught up with her actual father. If you didn't catch why Anna was in New York, it's the end of the Shaman King manga and Yoh and Anna had made a stop in New York, spreading the message of shamanism. so, yeah. that's all. Hope you liked it. **_


End file.
